Voices from the ‘resus room': An integrative review of the resuscitation experiences of nurses

BACKGROUND Nurses are often the first responders to resuscitations. Understanding their experiences of resuscitation will highlight the resuscitative context nurses work within and identify the conditions that support or hamper their delivery of safe and effective resuscitative care. AIM The aim of this integrative review is to develop an understanding of nurses' experience of resuscitation, to gain knowledge of their challenges and identify gaps in evidence. DESIGN Integrative review. METHODS The electronic databases CINAHL, MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of Science were systematically searched from 2000-2021. Methodological quality of the papers was evaluated using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 checklist was used to guide and report the integrative review. RESULTS Eleven articles met criteria for review. Four themes arose from the literature that addressed nurses experiences of resuscitation: Chaos (external/internal), ethical dilemmas, clinical confidence and need for support. CONCLUSION Nurses' experiences of resuscitation are multifaceted. Addressing the challenges that nurses experience during resuscitation will help ensure that nurses' are supported in their professional growth and personal well-being. Relevance to clinical practice and research: Building nursing leadership capacity within resuscitations is an area of clinical practice/research that is gaining traction as a valid solution to address the challenges nurses experience during resuscitations. Whilst the barriers to debriefing requires a greater level of consideration within the workplace.